Sew What's Up!

Well, I bet you thought I'd forgotten about my blog!  But, with the debut of August, came a boatload of activity and this natural homebody was thrown mercilessly in the brew of much activity!  But, I did find time to sew...a little!

Remember this? 

 

It became this!

This cart cover was made using Simplicity Pattern 4225....I love this color combo, I even used it in my little fella's bedroom.....as noted before one of my favs!

  What I learned from this..... you need to reinforce the stitching when you trim the area from which the legs come through. I love this cart cover way better than my Eddie Bauer one....this one covers way more.


She (Amy) sent this pic...and said what if "we"  (her being the designer and me the
sewer) made this....holding up a skirt to a t-shirt

...so she purchased  a medium Hogs bedazzled t-shirt $12 from Walmart... and this copper key, knit tank and skirt, dress. for $8.70 at Dillard's. 

 I cut the t-shirt approximately in half and detached the knit tank from the skirt and sewed my cut t-shirt and the skirt together and now you have the Hog's Spirit Empire Waist Dress!  By jolly gee it worked!  Cute huh!

This became....

Three rompers made using Simplicity Pattern #3882  and McCall's Pattern #M6083.  The
girl's actually requested I make them a romper...in the day and age of name brand only...they want something handcrafted by me!  I was shocked and flattered!  I wanted them to all have a different look and I was able to accomplish it. I played and the results were good and I had three very satisfied girls! Oh and the fabric was actually $5.99 a yard at Hobby Lobby, not $6.99.


Austin is modeling the first one....I added fabric flowers, per Austin's request, to the top of the bodice(not pictured)....I modified the waist length for Austin's longer torso....she loved it!

Micaela is modeling this one....I combined Simplicity Pattern #3882 and the
Mcall's PatternM6083 to come up with this number....and crossed my finger and hoped
and hoped...and it worked!  And she even rocked it to school!

Tacara is the model in this pic...and I just want to send a shout out to my baby girl.....since I don't have a dressform yet, she is it...thank you baby for your non-patient attitude when I call you, but alas you have to come, because you have no authority in my house...love ya chick!  This was made using the McCall's pattern #M6083 . A ruffle was added to the top of the bodice.

Three different looks, for three different girls. Sew that's what been
up in my sewing world! Hmmmm.....what's next!

Oh fabric fabric what will you become?

A bag? A dress? Surely something awesome!

Don’t look to me my lips are sealed.

Let’s wait and see what is revealed!

Black knit fabric. I love knit fabric! So comfy!  Dress it up, dress it down, comfy sheets & pillows, so versatile.  Purchased 6 yards at Hobby Lobby. A 40% coupon combined with the low price of $6.99 a yard, had me walking  away with money in my pocket!

Oh fabric fabric what will you become?

A bag? A dress? Surely something awesome!

Don’t look to me my lips are sealed.

Let’s wait and see what is revealed!

My favorite color combo for little boy's....orange and blue! 

Courtesty of my friend Brandi, purchased at Hancock's.

Reveal!

This is what became of the seersucker fabric. Not bad for a dress that cost under $10. It was made using Butterick Pattern 5319. The dress is fully lined with pockets and a side zipper. This was my first attempt with a zipper and anything close to a sleeve. I would be lying if I said I didn't have any issues making this dress, though it was rated as EASY. Frustrating mistakes made me want to sell my sewing machine and never attempt sewing again! But, I'm glad I didn't, I do love this dress. I shortened it and went for a one inch hem and decided against the belt. New skills: inserting a zipper, actually this was pretty easy to do, understitching, which is a method used to prevent the lining from showing on the outside of the dress, and actually lining a dress, which was pretty tedious to do, since I had to slip stitch the lining to the zipper. I can't wait until I know enough to make fitting adjustments, right now I sew scared! I didn't like how low the bodice fell underneath my underarm, and I think my attempts to make the bodice more fitted didn't help that issue. I will definitely make this dress again, probably in my favorite apparel color black, and hopefully I will avoid my former mistakes. People I have so much to learn! I need to do something super easy to get my confidence built up!

Oh fabric fabric what will you become?

A bag? A dress? Surely something awesome!

Don’t look to me my lips are sealed.

Let’s wait and see what is revealed!

Classic Seersucker Navy and White. 

I got it on sale....2 yards for 6.99 from Hancock's! 

Happy Feet

Everyone knows of my daughter's dancing abilities and how I shell out hundred's of dollars a month to support her in it.  But, you know Tacara is a learned dancer, instruction since the age of 3.  But, what I have to show you is just raw, natural, unedited talent, just a gift!  Check out the video.....the foot work....pure genius, the beating of inanimate objects (his Michael Jackson moment), omigosh and when he does his turns...he takes them counter clockwise people!....how smooth is that!  This boy is just purely gifted and some things just can't be taught! Brilliant moments like this, just makes you heart life even more!  Enjoy!

Potential

Tacara needed a new chair for her desk, and I needed her to have a chair for her desk.  The constant disappearance of my dining and kitchen chairs, just wasn't working for me.  So we window shopped for chairs and we loved these.

$219 for the chair...cushion sold separately

$159

$99

$89

Though we loved the above, our very limited budget prevented such purchases, so meet the budget lover wonder.

$10

Retailing for a whopping $10 at the Salvation Army, count it sold!

So, I sanded.....

I bought 2 types of sand paper...$3.97 each.

One to remove the varnish and stain, and one for smoothing.

I primed with a can of Rustoleum

I painted the chair gloss white with a can of 2X Rustoleum.

I recovered using a staple gun and this cute fabric from Hancock's. 

It was a $1.79 for 1/2 a yard....caught a sale.

Waa-Laa!

And there you have our budget friendly chair that cost us about $25!  And Tacara loves it!

Now You See 'Em, Now You Don't!

I'm finally free!  No longer a brace face!  After beginning this process September of 2004....I know I know!  Long time!  I mean I wasn't the best ortho patient.  I still ate laffy taffy, chewed sugared gum, ate popcorn and when my braces were removed in 2008, I didn't wear my retainer, because it made me gag.  So, I was emBRACED again.  Honestly though, I really can't even remember what my teeth looked like before I started the process, I'm just happy to be free!

Before

After

Sew It Begins!

With my life pretty much in complete total chaos (okay me being overly dramatic), I decided I needed a hobby to invest myself in. I’m surrounded by people that have all kinds of creative outlets; dancers, artists, cooks, bakers, photographers, musicians and the list goes on. I wanted and needed a creative outlet too! If, for not anything else, when I was asked what are my hobbies, sleeping wouldn’t be the first and only thing that came to mind. So, what would I like to do besides extensive napping and lounging????

My friend and I were browsing on ETSY, and we seen this cool onesie embellished, with what I know now, an appliqué. So cute! Here I go declaring that would be so easy to do. Nevermind the fact, I hadn’t sewn anything, since Home Economics in the 9th grade (I only did 2 sewing projects, a small pillow and a vest) or even remembered how to. But, as random as I usually work, I decided to pursue learning how to sew.

I called around for sewing classes. Hancock’s and the University of Central Arkansas were offering classes, so I signed up, for both! Classes were set to begin in September and October 2009, actually overlapping.

Now to get a sewing machine, which I knew absolutely nothing about. I purchased a Brother 6000 CSI, because it had the most stitches in my price range. SIDENOTE: Out of a total of 60 stitches, I’ve used 2.

I was emailed a list of sewing supplies I needed for class…..WTC!!!! The only item I recognize on that list was thread! Seam ripper, seam gauge, interfacing…etc. The ladies at Hancock’s were super friendly and babysat me, as I aimed to fill my supply list.

I entered the sewing class all big and bold, with my sewing machine still in the box, nothing had been removed, I was kinda afraid of the darn thing. The instructor got me all set up and from the first stitch, I…. was…. In…. love! I absolutely love sewing! It simply amazes me, it’s so random and I totally love it. Who knew! I’m determined to become good at it, if not great! I can’t get enough. I have a long wish list of items I’m desiring, coverstitch/chainstitch machines, embroidery machine, pattern design software, books, magazine subscriptions, classes with Creations by Cristiana, so so much! I have a long ways to go, but I'm determined to learn it all!

I’ll be starting a segment in which I’ll show you the fabric and notions that will be used for the project and the resulting project once complete. You can guess what the item will eventually become and you can possibly even win your own!

Oh fabric fabric what will you become?

A bag? A dress? Surely something awesome!

Don’t look to me my lips are sealed.

Let’s wait and see what is revealed!

So let me begin by showing you all the projects I have done thus far.

OMIGAH!  Can I tell you how proud I was of my first project!  People I was beaming!

This is a table topper, never heard of such a thing until this project. 

It was proudly displayed in my home throughout the Fall.

My first bag!  Tacara adopted it as her own.

My first apparel item!  Fleece pajama bottoms for Tacara! 

This is when I knew I had to have a serger. 

I also made another pair not pictured.

My final class project, a towel wrap for Tacara. She loved having her name embroidered on it.

 I was on my own after this.

My first solo project!  I gifted all Sean's birthday guests with personalized appliqued shirts. 

 Shopped various fabric shops for fabric remnants and the shirts on sale from Old Navy.

.........and here's the bib I made for the party....but I didn't do the embroidery, a friend did it for me. 

This is when I realized how I just had to have an embroidery machine.

The Christmas Tree skirt I sewed.

Though it was way too small for my tree, I still used it. 

 I was too proud!

And my so cute stockings!  Once again embroidery, not by me.

A simple knit shirt.

... another knit shirt, but with a bubble bottom. Pattern by Simplicity.

A simple knit dress. 

This is also the first time I used my new serger,

I got for Christmas.

Random owl I made from fabric remnants.  Once again seeing this in a magazine,

 I declare that's simple! I can make that! 

The following are 3 shirts I appliqued by request.  The colored t-shirts that were purchased limited my color options from my remnant pile, but I think they turned out fine.

This is a highchair seat cover I made for a friend. I also made an additional high chair seat cover and a shopping cart seat cover that's not pictured.

The following shows 2 baby shower gift collaborations with my creative friends.  My contributions were the stuffed owls and the stuffed lady bugs.

Some of the bibs I made from a $2 Wal-Mart towel. I made a total of 12 from one towel.

and coordinating bag

A jumper I made for Tacara, of course ignore the fabric and the unmatched stripes LOL! I practice with inexpensive fabrics. She loved this and had 2 more requests from friends for one.

 First time I did pockets.

This is where I sew....in my dining area.

.....and for all who wonder how I do this with an active 1 year old around....well he's never too far away as you can see. He let's me know exactly when it's time to pack it up! I don't mind one bit, for after all he's my greater passion!

Well, that's all of my projects thus far...humble beginnings to a new found love. Many and much more to come!